My son has an AER pocket tools Colorizer preamp. It doesn't provide its own power but it says it accepts +24 V of phantom power I've heard that mixers differ in the amount of phantom power that they provide for example it's common for them to provide +48 V of phantom power. Would that work with his +24 V device or would it damage it?

Peter I just read the manual for this preamp. It is supposed to have a 24v DC power supply to power the device. The power supply jack is the small one on the rear. It also can provide 24v phantom power available at the XLR socket on the input. There is a button on the rear that turns on this phantom power. There are 3 types of phantom power specs which are 48v, 24v, 12v. The 24v is not a very popular one at all. What you would usually plug in here is a condenser mic with the phantom power turned on. This should work ok for even 48v models. Might try it on a inexpensive condenser first though.

Below is from your user manual.

Use of 24V- rsp. 48V-Phantom-Power
(Phantom power = remote supply, here: powering an audio device via the connected audio line) Turn on the phantom power only if the unit connected to the XLR socket is designed to handle it! In general, suitable units are e.g. condenser microphones, active DI boxes and other special audio devices, whose power supply is drawn from the phantom power. Such devices are also labelled accordingly; please heed the permissible power consumption (max.10mA). High-quality dynamic microphones with a balanced signal need no phantom power, but can handle it anyway. Other devices which have not been designed explicitly for phantom power operation can suffer from considerable malfunctions, and damage may result as well. Examples of devices that may be damaged by incorrect application of phantom power include: Low-cost dynamic microphones with a mono jack plug (unbalanced signal) that were fitted afterwards with an XLR connector. Audio devices with a balanced XLR output (e.g. DI boxes, effects devices, instrument preamps with a DI output etc.) which are not protected against phantom power applied to their XLR output. (The DI connectors on AER products are protected against applied phantom power.) Other audio devices (such as preamps, effects pedals etc.) whose unbalanced line output was replaced by an XLR socket. If in doubt please consult the manufacturer of the device you are using.

Looking at the website for this preamp, there are front and back views...


BACK VIEW: click on the "back view" button
http://www.aer-amps.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=386&Itemid=100410&lang=en

It clearly says 24 vdc with the center pin positive and the shield/chassis ground negative. If you feed anything else to this power input, you risk sever damage to the unit faster than you can pull the plug back out. The 24v phantom power input means 24 volts...not 48 volts. If a mixer delivers 48v, do not use it. You will damage the preamp.

For this preamp, you will need to get the proper power supply to ensure it works properly and doesn't sustain damage from the wrong supply voltages.

It needs 24vdc to work properly....Applying the wrong voltage of 48 volts is twice as much as it needs. 10% or so is generally acceptable but not a 100% increase. I would wager money that applying 48vdc will damage the preamp.

Another reason to get the correct power supply is it will provide not only the correct voltage, but will also have the capacity to deliver the current needed by the preamp and very importantly.... the correct polarity. Throwing the proper voltage of 24vdc but in reverse polarity can also cause substantial damage to the components on it's circuit board.

Yes... you will sustain damage with the wrong voltage.

Since you're asking this, my assumption is you do not have the power supply with this preamp. In that case, I would find and purchase the proper plug in power supply to use with it. Contact the mfgr and buy it from them.... that way, you're assured of getting the right one to make things work properly.


EDIT TO ADD: You could use this preamp with any mixer...as a preamp, but do not use the 48v phantom power of any mixer or interface to provide the power for it to operate.